HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



165 



by the Taraumarefe, the Hiaquefe, and other people of 

 thofe regions, who ftill ufe the bow and arrow, enable 

 us to judge of the expertnefs and excellence of the an- 

 cient Mexicans in that way (e). No people of the 

 country of Anahuac ever made ufe of poifoned arrows j 

 this was probably owing to their defire of taking their 

 enemies alive for the purpofe of facrificing them. 



The Maquahuitl, called by the Spaniards Spada, or 

 fword, as it was the weapon among the Mexicans, which 

 was equivalent to the fword of the old continent, was a 

 ftout ftick three feet and a half long, and about four- 

 inches broad, armed on each fide with a fort of razors 

 of the (tone itztli, extraordinarily fharp, fixed and firmly 

 fattened to the flick with gum lack (/), which were 

 about three inches long, one or two inches broad, and 

 as thick as the blade of our ancient fwords. This wea- 

 pon was fo keen, that once it entirely beheaded a horfe 

 at one ftroke, according to the affirmation of Acofta ; 

 but the firft ftroke only was to be feared ; for the ra- 

 zors became foon blunt. They tied this weapon by a 

 firing to their arm, left they might lofe it in any violent 

 conflict. The form of the maquahuitl is defcribed by 

 feveral hiftorians, and is reprefented in one of the plates 

 of this hiftory. 



The 



(e) The dexterity of thofe people in fhooting arrows would not be credible, 

 were it not well afcertained by the depofitions of a variety of eye-witneffes. It 

 was ufual for a number of archers to affemble together, and throw up an ear of 

 maize into the air, at which they immediately fliot with fuch quicknefs and 

 dexterity, that before it could reach the ground it was ftripped of every grain. 



( f) Hernandez fays, that one ftroke of the maquahuitl was fufficient to cut 

 a man through the middle ; and the anonymous conqueror attefts, that he faw 

 in an engagement a Mexican, with one ftroke which he gave a horfe in the 

 belly, make his inteftiues drop out ; and another, who with one ftroke which 

 he gave a horfe upon the head, laid him dead at his feet. 



